The San Juan County Council wants to take you on a field trip.

The council is preparing to update the county’s environmental regulations, beginning with codes covering upland wetlands and fish and wildlife habitat areas, followed by marine shoreline regulations.

The council will host a series of field trips and public workshops on the proposed updates: Nov. 9, Mullis Community Senior Center; Nov. 12, Orcas Island Senior Center; Nov. 16, Lopez Island Woodmen Hall. The field trips will start at 11:30 a.m. with public meetings at 5:30 p.m.

For field trip location, call Jeff Hanson at 370-7594 or jeffh@sanjuanco.com.

In the field trips, you will visit marine shorelines, streams and wetlands and learn how the proposed regulations would apply. “It is an opportunity at various wetland and shoreline areas to better understand their value and how property owners will be affected,” county communications officer Stan Matthews wrote in a press release.

At the public meetings, you will hear about the proposed regulations from county staff, scientists and islanders that have been involved in the discussion over the last several years. You will be able to ask questions and provide input.

Your participation at the field trips and public meetings will help shape how the issues are addressed by the county Planning Commission and County Council. We encourage islanders to participate. And visit www.sanjuanco.com/cao.